Schools & FE · Report card

Birley Spa Primary AcademyOfsted report card, 29 Sept 2026

Inspected 29 Sept 2026 · URN 143965

Ofsted inspected Birley Spa Primary Academy on 29 Sept 2026, led by Richard Jones. This is a report card inspection; the lowest area grade was Expected standard. Source: Ofsted (Open Government Licence v3).

Summary

Report card, graded by area · lowest ExpectedSafeguarding met

Richard Jones (lead), Adrian Fearn, Coralie Corrin

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Strong standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
29 Sept 2026
Inspectors verified
Adrian Fearn, Coralie Corrin, Richard Jones
Postcode verified
S12 4QE
Name on report verified
Birley Spa Primary Academy
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
143965

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Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionStrong
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+84Very positivemore positive than 82% of report cards whose lowest area grade is Expected standard

StrongExpectedNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

In line with other report cards whose lowest area grade is Expected standard.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectivelyconsistentlyeffectivefeel safeambitioushigh-qualityhighly effectivepositive

Criticismnot consistentlyconcernsstruggle

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1568w+85
Leadership270w+84
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve58w+71

Strengths

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Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,944; about usual (typical 1851)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 43, typical 44
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 2; typical 2
Hedged sentences: 7%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 51%Leadership 9%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 36%

Full report text

Birley Spa Primary Academy

Address: Jermyn Crescent, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S12 4QE Unique reference number (URN): 143965

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders swiftly and precisely recognise pupils' additional needs. Staff use their deep understanding of pupils, combined with information from parents and carers, to identify early signs that a pupil may require support. The special educational needs coordinator collaborates closely with families and external professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to tailor effective support plans. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from these clear, regularly reviewed support plans to help ensure pupils’ continuous improvement. Parents are fully involved in the review of support for their children.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils with SEND are encouraged to follow the same curriculum as their peers whenever possible. Teachers implement thoughtful adaptations, consistently, such as visual prompts and practical resources, to enable pupils to access learning well. The school works effectively to ensure all pupils with SEND develop the knowledge they need without falling behind their peers.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

The school's resourced provision provides specialised, integrated support for pupils with SEND. Staff combine academic learning with opportunities to develop communication, independence and life skills. As a result, pupils are prepared well for learning and for life beyond school. Pupils participate successfully in mainstream classes and activities, where this is appropriate for their needs.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders make effective use of pupil premium funding to remove barriers to learning and wellbeing for disadvantaged pupils. Initiatives include ensuring disadvantaged pupils can take part in regular clubs, trips and educational visits. These opportunities enrich the educational experience of disadvantaged pupils and further enhance the school's inclusive and supportive environment.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well. Most pupils read accurately and fluently by the end of key stage 1 and, by the end of Year 6, attainment is broadly in line with national averages. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make appropriate progress from their starting points. Pupils who attend the resourced provision achieve well against the targets in their education, health and care plans. Disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers, particularly in reading.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' spoken language is developing well. Many pupils explain their reasoning clearly and express their ideas in detail. However, pupils do not consistently communicate their knowledge with precision across all subjects. This means that some pupils do not demonstrate the full extent of what they know and understand. Leaders continue to strengthen opportunities for pupils to discuss and explain their learning. In foundation subjects, pupils retain important knowledge over time. Most pupils leave the school ready for the next stage of their education.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The majority of pupils attend school regularly. Leaders track attendance carefully and act quickly when any pupil's attendance starts to fall. Staff work closely with families to understand and remove barriers to attendance. For example, leaders offer places at breakfast club. Pupil 'attendance ambassadors' promote and celebrate positive attendance and run friendly competitions between classes. As a result, attendance continues to improve. The school provides personalised support when pupils and parents and carers need it.

p.3

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well across the school. Classrooms are calm and orderly and pupils listen attentively to their teachers and to each other. Pupils understand the school's clear routines and rewards. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently. Occasionally, when learning does not align well enough with their needs, a few pupils lose focus. Staff are alert to this and support pupils to re-focus. Pupils are polite and respectful. They know the difference between falling out and bullying. Pupils say that bullying and unkind language are rare. They also say, if incidents occur, staff deal with them swiftly. Staff make adjustments for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities such as providing calm spaces and visual timetables. These adjustments help pupils to manage their feelings and behaviour well.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that sets out the important knowledge pupils should learn from the Nursery Year to Year 6. In English and mathematics leaders identify the key content carefully and order it precisely. For example, pupils build secure knowledge of place value before they move on to more complex calculations. All subject curriculums are on a continual cycle of review and refinement. Pupils enjoy learning in all subjects.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Reading is a priority for leaders and pupils. Children learn to read using phonics effectively. Staff teach phonics consistently well. Staff check how well pupils learn new sounds and give extra practice to pupils who struggle to understand some of their learning. Teachers use high-quality books to extend and enhance pupils' vocabulary.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have detailed subject knowledge. They explain new ideas well and use well- planned resources, such as pictures and practical equipment, to support pupils' learning effectively. Teachers check pupils' understanding carefully and plan opportunities for pupils to talk about their learning in a structured way. However, pupils do not consistently answer in full sentences or use subject-specific vocabulary accurately. As a result, some pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not communicate their understanding as clearly as they could.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities early and put support in place quickly.

p.4

Early years Expected standard

Staff in the Nursery and Reception classes create a warm and nurturing environment in which children feel safe and settled. Staff encourage children to explore, ask questions and investigate for themselves. For example, children use natural materials in the woodland area to build dens and hunt for minibeasts.

p.4

Early years Expected standard

The curriculum sets out what children should learn in each area of learning well. Staff prioritise communication and language. They model new vocabulary and encourage children to speak in full sentences. In the nursery, staff interactions with children extend children's thinking and vocabulary effectively. Children learn phonics consistently well. Most children use their phonics knowledge to read and write simple words and sentences clearly. Children also develop early mathematical knowledge through well-planned activities, such as counting and comparing objects.

p.4

Early years Expected standard

Staff work closely with parents and carers to share information about children's learning and offer ideas to support learning at home. Joint activities between the nursery and Reception classes help children to prepare for the next stage of their education. Most children are ready for Year 1 by the end of Reception.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide highly effective strategic school development. They share an ambitious vision that pupils will gain the knowledge and experience to choose their own paths with confidence. Leaders know the school well. They use regular checks, staff feedback and support from the trust to identify what works well and what needs to improve. For example, they rightly prioritise pupils' spoken language and the attendance of disadvantaged pupils. The school improvement plan sets out clear actions and timescales.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Subject leaders and middle leaders are enthusiastic and value the training they receive. In English and mathematics, subject leaders check the quality of teaching regularly and use what they find to make improvements. In other subject areas, leaders are at an earlier stage of developing this expertise. Leaders recognise the need to strengthen further the contribution that some middle leaders make to school improvement. They are developing leaders' knowledge and skills so that they can play a fuller role in improving outcomes across the curriculum.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance understand and fulfil their statutory duties well. They visit the school regularly and ask challenging questions about pupils' achievement and attendance. They know that leaders use additional funding, such as the pupil premium, effectively.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value the professional learning that leaders provide. Early career teachers receive well- structured support from experienced mentors. Leaders consider staff workload and wellbeing consistently. For example, leaders keep marking procedures simple to reduce unnecessary tasks. Leaders work well with parents and carers. Most parents speak positively about the care that staff show their children. Leaders use community links, such as visiting speakers on 'Aspire Day', to broaden pupils' horizons.

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